Every Waking Moment
by 23a
Summary: AU. Not room for full description, but let's just say it involves magical cop Emma, clueless Henry, non-dark Rumple, and some very awkward family moments. Full description in story. Rated T for violence but probably won't be that much, except possibly the cop scenes.
1. Summary & Chapter 1: A Birthday Night

So, what's up?

1\. Rumple never becomes the Dark One, but is kept immortal due to a foolish wish granted by guess who!

2\. He still has magic, but it is light magic.

3\. Bae is taken against his will to Neverland, and Rumple spends centuries trying to get him back.

4\. Everything else story-line-wise stays the same, except instead of Rumple making all the deals, it's the other Dark One.

5\. The Dark One doesn't get the curse complete for Regina (who manipulated him into making it) until Emma is 10, but she is still sort-of the savior - she can return memories, but only Regina can unfreeze time.

6\. Regina casts the curse, but instead of wiping everyone's memories, she just makes them think they went willingly to Storybrooke, and changes only Snow's, Emma's, and Charming's memories to torment them.

7\. Rumple (who has Belle, BTW) wants to take advantage of Emma's magic, which began showing in the EF. He tells her the truth, and she kisses her parents on the cheek, returning their memories and her own. Time is still frozen.

8\. After a while, they convince Regina to undo her curse. Emma grows up, and Rumple trains her in magic. They become sort of magical cops (but rarely work together).

9\. When Emma is a bit older, she sneaks away from Storybrooke and goes into the real world a lot. She meets Bae, who has escaped Neverland. They are together for about a month, during which Henry is conceived. She then must return to Storybrooke, and asks Bae to come with her. He agrees, and he and Rumple are delighted to be reunited.

10\. A while later, Henry is born. Emma wants him to have a normal life, and convinces everyone not to tell him about magic until he is older. A little over 10 years pass, and it is Emma's 28th birthday.

* * *

"Emma, Happy birthday!", yelled Snow and David when Emma walked in to her parent's apartment. It was late, as Emma had been working on a particularly difficult case.

"Thanks, guys."

Henry bounded in. "Happy Birthday, Mom!"

"Thanks, kid." Then to her parents, "You let him stay up?"

"It's your birthday!"

"And he needs sleep!"

They all shared the cake. Emma smiled, then said, "You get to sleep, or no more sleepovers with your grandparents."

"But they're cool grandparents!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Bandits are awesome! And royalty... that's cool too."

Emma chuckled. It had been hard to tell Henry their family history without mentioning magic, but they had managed.

"Then get to bed."

He did, and Emma said goodbye to her parents before going back to the apartment she lived in with Henry and Neal. It would soon have another member, though, Emma thought as she patted her stomach.


	2. Curious Indeed

Emma pulled on her red leather jacket and grabbed her gun. She had a case to investigate, and she wasn't wasting a minute. She preferred using magic, but a gun could come in handy. She tied her hair back and got into her car. Se started driving, everything was going fine, until... Henry.

"Mom!", he yelled from the backseat.

She whipped around. "Kid! You should _not _be here!"

"Mom, I wanna be a detective!"

"Henry, I'm doing a dangerous job! Not meant for 10-year-olds!"

"The new baby gets to come with you!"

"Henry, it's inside me. There's really nothing I can do about that."

"Mo-om!"

"Henry, no." She drove to Granny's and dropped him off before speeding up and going to the crime scene - the library.

* * *

Well, more specifically, the area under the library. She was greeted by her step-mother-in-law, Belle.

"Hey Emma."

"Hi Belle. I've got to investigate a case down in the basement."

"Ok." Emma went to the elevator. "Be careful!", Belle called.

"As always!" She got in the elevator and lowered herself down. She exited at the bottom and went in, gun drawn.

* * *

The woman was sprawled on the ground, perhaps dead, perhaps alive. Emma bent down to check her pulse. It was faint, but there. Since they had moved Maleficent out of the basement, there had been rumors that it was haunted, and no one went down there. Why had this woman? She had strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes. She was beautiful, that much was certain. But who was she? Emma was good at identification, but this was no one she had ever seen. She decided to call her supervisor.

* * *

Rumpelstiltskin sighed, annoyed. "What, Emma, can't handle your cases on your own?"

"I can't identify random unconscious people, my magic's not trained enough yet."

He sighed again. "I'll be right down."

* * *

Emma had moved the woman into better light by the time Rumpelstiltskin arrived. He looked at her. He frowned.

"From what I can sense, she does not belong in this world."

"Huh?"

"Magic brought her here, a portal. Powerful magic."

"Oh."

"Magic, huh?", asked a voice, and Emma's heart nearly stopped when she saw who was stepping out of the shadows.

"Henry... I can explain..."

"You lied to me", he said, turning on his heel and leaving.

"Henry!" She looked terrified over at Rumple, who merely shrugged.

"Take her to the Sheriff's station. I've gotta go", she said, and ran after her son.


	3. Liar

Emma grabbed Henry's arm. "Henry! Stop running!"

He fought with her, but he couldn't get out, so he stopped trying. "You lied. You never told me about magic."

"Henry, I wanted to protect you. I wanted you to have a normal life."

"You lied to me."

"Henry!"

"I would have loved to know about magic. But you didn't tell me!

"Henry, magic is dangerous."

"You use it."

"Henry, I'm sorry."

"It's not just that!", he exclaimed. "How can I trust anything you said? Are you really a princess?"

"Yes, Henry, I am."

He wrestled out of her grip and ran off. Rumpelstiltskin came upstairs. "The woman has traveled through time."

Emma gasped. "How do you know?"

"Because", he answered, "I analyzed her, and there is only one possible identity she could hold."

"Which is?"

"Your daughter."

* * *

"Your what?!"

"My daughter", Emma said, still in shock. "Our daughter. According to your dad, the woman is our child, from the future." She looked down at her stomach.

Bae stood staring at her, mouth gaping open. "She... she's... our kid? How?"

"He doesn't know. But he says it has to be her. Has to be."

"Well what do we do?"

Emma shrugged. "Send her back?"

"How do we do that?"

"I don't know, Bae. I don't know."


	4. Lily

_**Present Time**_

Emma walked into the room where they had decided to keep the woman - _her daughter - _and sat down near her. She had still not woken up in the day since being found, but now her eyes fluttered open, as though being around herself was a catalyst.

"Hey", Emma said.

Her eyes were still half-closed. "Hi."

Emma smiled. "Hello Lily."

Now she was alert. "How do you know my -" She squinted. "Mom?"

"Lily, it's me. Your mother. You've gone back in time."

"Yeah, I know. But I made sure I wouldn't be born yet, how could you know my name?"

"Because I decided, if it was a girl I would name her Lily. I'm pregnant. Right now."

Lily smiled. "Where I'm from you're a grandma."

Emma's eyes widened. "But you only look about 19!"

"Well yeah, I'm 19, but Henry is 30. He has a 7-year-old girl, Arydia, and a 3-year-old boy, Dustin."

Emma smiled. "Who did he marry?"

"Mom, I can't tell you that much!"

"Right. Sorry. But why did you come back?"

"Tell you later, okay?"

"Okay..."

* * *

_**Future Time**_

Henry paced back and forth. Arydia and Dustin sat happily on the floor, Nadia having promised she could watch them while their mother was out of town and he was busy. He hoped Lily would succeed on her mission, though really he thought he should have gone.

"Henry she'll do fine", said Nadia.

"How do you know?"

"I just do. I trust Lily. She's my niece, after all. And you're my nephew."

"I'm still nearly twice your age."

Nadia smiled. "She'll be alright. I promise."

And Henry knew Nadia always kept her promises.


	5. Mothers and Daughters

_**12 years and 6 months in the future**_

Lily twirled around in her pink dress, the bottom flurrying around her feet. Her strawberry blonde hair was in ringlets down her face. She looked up when her mother entered her room.

"You excited, Lily?"

"Yeah", Lily replied, smiling.

"I... have a gift for you."

"Really?"

"Really." Emma reached into her purse and pulled out the tiara. "Your grandmother gave this to me when I was 10, so I guess I'm a bit overdue."

Lily gasped. "A tiara! Like what a real princess would wear!"

"Well Lily, you are a real princess."

"Yeah... I know. But it would still be nice to live in a castle instead of an apartment."

"Well, your father grew up to a tiny house in a poor village. To him, this is a castle. Maybe just change your perspective, honey."

"Mom, is Henry going to be at my party?"

"I... hope he shows up. But he's a married man now, and trust me, we women aren't easy."

"Oh, so that's why Dad is always saying he shouldn't have asked you to marry him."

"He didn't, sweetie. I asked him."

"That's not what he said..."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Of course not. Well anyway, come on, princess, it's party time."

As they were walking out, Emma got a phone call. "Hi Henry! What?! Oh my gosh... We'll be right there."

"Mom?", Lily asked, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Your sister-in-law is in labor."

"What?! But she's only 6 months pregnant..."

"Yes, the baby is early... there are complications."

"What does that mean? Is the baby going to be okay?"

"Hopefully. Come on Lily, if everything goes right, you're about to be an aunt."

**_Present Time_**

"What are the potential consequences of Lily being here?", Emma asked.

"She could alter the future", Rumpelstiltskin replied. "Possibly even prevent the two children she mentioned from being born."

"You mean... our grandkids", Bae said.

Rumple nodded. "Whatever the circumstances of Arydia and Dustin being born, she could have altered one or both."

"Maybe she wanted that? If Henry's kids are in danger..."

"I'm sure she will tell you when she feels the time is right."

"I will", Lily said, walking up behind them. "Hi Dad. Hi Grandpa."

"Lily", Bae said, walking up to her. "You're my daughter."

Lily nodded. "I am."

Emma smiled. "She's our daughter, Bae."

"There is... one other person I can tell you about, probably without affecting much, if you really want to know."

"Don't alter the future any more", Rumpelstiltskin said.

"I want to know", Emma said.

"Me too", Bae agreed.

"Baelfire... how much have you ever wanted a sister?"

**_12 yr. 6 mo. in future_**

They were quite the pair as they walked into the hospital, Emma in her pale blue evening gown and Lily in her pink dress and tiara. They rushed into the lobby and asked for directions to the room where the baby was. They quickly rushed there, and found Henry waiting for them.

"Mom! Sis!", he exclaimed, hugging them both. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course, Henry", Emma said. "How is she?"

"Freaking out and trying to keep the baby in another 3 months."

"Which... isn't going to work."

"Of course not. Not without magic."

Emma sighed. "Well, if I still had that, I'd help, believe me."

"I know, mom", Henry said.

"Is your father here?"

"Yeah, went out to get some food. Grandpa and Belle are here too, and Nadia."

"Nadia's here?", Lily asked. Her aunt, though 3 years younger than she was, was one of her best friends.

Henry nodded. He looked worried, and something else, which Lily couldn't quite make out. "Henry, are you okay?"

He smiled a little. "I'm fine, Lily."

"Okay..." She gave him a hug and went off to find Nadia.

_**Present Time**_

"A... sister?", Bae asked.

"Nadia Evelyn Gold. She's 16, actually she's exactly 3 years younger than I am."

"Nadia..."

"I... have a daughter?", Rumpelstiltskin asked.

"Yes, you do."

He smiled. "I presume with Belle?"

"Is there anyone else who would marry you?"

"You have no right to speak to me that way!"

"I'm your granddaughter."

"So... in your time she's 16?"

"Yes."

"And... what's she like?"

"Special. She can sense things before they happen sometimes, and she always keeps her promises. And she's one of my favorite people in the world."

"And why can you tell me about her without affecting anything?"

"Because she's Nadia. She'll be born no matter what."

_**12 yr. 6 mo. in future**_

"Nadia!", Lily exclaimed.

The girl turned around. "Lily!"

"Nadia, it's been forever!"

"It has."

"Happy birthday, by the way."

Nadia smiled. "You too. And... it'll be someone else's too, hopefully."

Lily nodded. "Your great-niece or nephew! You're old!"

"I'm younger than you..."

"Oh yeah."

Belle walked up behind Nadia and smiled. "Hello Lily."

"Hi Grandma Belle."

"Is your mother here?"

"Yes, she's with Henry."

"How's the baby?"

"I don't know. But Henry seemed really worried..."

"Do you girls want to go see the baby?"

They both nodded, and walked back to the room, which Henry and Emma were now inside. The girls and Belle also went in.

"Where's the doctor?", Lily asked.

"On his way back, hopefully", her sister-in-law answered. "He had better save my baby."

"The baby will be okay", Nadia said. "I promise."

All heads turned to Nadia. "Nadia, honey, you can't promise something like that", Belle said.

"I can", Nadia said, "I know."

At that moment Lily's other grandparents finally chose to arrive. "Emma!", Snow called, rushing into the room.

"Mom", Emma greeted them. "Dad."

"What's going on?", David asked.

"What's going on is, that doctor had better show up and save my kid", Henry said.

"I already promised the baby would be okay", Nadia said. "Trust me, I just know. I never break a promise."

"How can you know?", Rumpelstiltskin asked, as he and Bae walked up to the group. "How can you know something like that?"

"Yeah, Nadia, the future is unclear", Bae said.

"I just know", said Nadia.

The doctor finally came. "Okay, I will have to operate. Only one other person can be in the room."

"Henry, you're staying", his wife declared.

"Of course, darling. I would never leave."

Bae put a hand on Henry's shoulder. "This is the big one", he said with a partial smile. Then he walked out, along with everyone else.

The pacing was endless, and then the doctor finally came out. "The mother is fine and has delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl."

Lily smiled one of the widest smiles she ever had before. "I have a niece!", she exclaimed.

"And I have a granddaughter", Emma said.

"Can we see the baby?", Bae asked the doctor.

"Yes, but... 3 at a time, no more."

Emma, Bae, and Lily went in first. "Oh my gosh!", Lily said, upon seeing the little pink bundle. "She's beautiful!"

"Hi Darling", Emma said, looking at the baby in Henry's arms.

"Mom, you wanna hold her?", Henry asked.

Emma nodded and took the baby. After holding her for a bit, she gave the baby to Baelfire, who held it for another while. Henry then turned to Lily. "Do you wanna hold her, sis?"

Lily smiled. "Really, me?"

Henry nodded, and Bae gave Lily the baby. "Support her head", Bae said.

Lily nodded and took her precious little niece in her arms. "What's her name?", she asked her sister-in-law, who looked barely able to stay conscious.

"Arydia", she replied with a smile. "Arydia Hope Mills. Because she will always have hope."

Bae and Emma walked out to give someone else a turn, and Nadia practically ran into the room, yelling, "Can I see?!"

Lily smiled and showed Nadia the now sleeping baby. "Her name is Arydia."

Nadia smiled down at Arydia, then up at her parents. "See? I promised."


	6. Regrets

"Henry..."

"Mom, I'm mad at you."

"Henry please, I just wanted you to have a normal life."

"Mom, you kept a huge secret like magic from me."

"There was a good reason though."

"Well it's not good enough to me."

"Henry, you'll understand someday."

He sighed. "Maybe."

"How can I make it up to you?"

"Tell me what's going on that has you so busy."

"You really want to know?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Alright... a woman has traveled back from the future."

"Cool!"

"This woman... is the baby I am pregnant with right now."

"What?"

"She's your sister, Lily."

"Lily... my sister."

"Yes. 19-year-old Lily."

"Can... can I meet her?"

"You want to?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

"Lily?"

She looked up. "Yes, mom?"

"Someone would like to meet you."

"Okay, who?"

Emma stepped aside, and Lily gave a slight smile. "Henry."

"Yeah."

"Hey big bro."

"Hey little sis."

"I've never seen you so young."

"I've never seen you at all."

"True, but I've seen you. I was flower girl at your wedding."

"My wedding?"

"Yep. It was less than a month after I turned 9."

"Wow."

"And Henry... you're the most important person in this, or one of them."

"Why is that?"

"Because it was you who caused the destruction I'm here to reverse."

* * *

**Future Time**

Emma looked at the clock on the wall. It hadn't moved in years. 3 years, 4 months, and 2 days, to be exact. Since the day her grandson was born. It had been stopped to mark the occasion. But it marked something else as well. Arydia walked into the room. "Hi Grandma"

"Hi sweetie", Emma replied. "Are you doing well in school?"

Arydia nodded. "I got an A!"

Emma smiled. "That's great! Where's Nadia? She's watching you, right?"

Arydia nodded. "She's with Dustin in the kitchen." Arydia followed her grandmother's gaze to the clock. "Why are you looking at the clock?"

Emma sighed. "Just staring regret in the face."

"What do you regret, Grandma?", Arydia asked.

"The life we used to live, long ago, before you were even a thought. The life that was mine, and your grandfather's, and Henry's, and Lily's. Until I made one stupid mistake. Funny how that works, isn't it?"


	7. Operation Bunny Rabbit

**20 years in the future (approximately)**

"What are we going to do?" Henry asked, his voice betraying his fear.

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Mr. Gold.

"There is always something we can do, Papa," said Nadia.

"There has to be something," said Lily.

"There will be," her sister-in-law agreed. "There has to be. These are my children we're talking about."

"My daughter as well," Mr. Gold added.

"_All _of our children," said Emma. "Even the ones that are all grown up. This affects us all."

"She's right," said Belle. "There needs to be a solution."

"What kind of solution?" asked David. "There is no simple one."

"What about..." Snow shook her head.

"What, Mom?"

"Never mind. It's not possible."

"Anything is possible," said Nadia.

"My sister is right," said Bae. "What do you have in mind?"

"Time travel," said Snow. "But could it be done?"

Almost automatically, every head in the room turned to Mr. Gold. "What are you looking at me for?"

"You have the most magical knowledge," said Henry.

"Yes, but no _magic. _Not anymore."

"Of course not," said Henry, "No one at this table does."

"But someone does," said Emma. "Someone could help us." Her parents, Bae, Mr. Gold, and Belle all made eye contact with her and nodded.

"Who?" Lily asked, confused. "Who could help us?"

"My stepmother," said Snow, and David nodded beside her. "It's time to call in a certain favor from 'The Evil Queen.'"

* * *

**Present Day**

"Me?" asked Henry. "Whatever's so bad you came back to fix it is _my _fault."

"In an indirect sense of the word."

"Well you said I caused it..."

"Indeed. You produced a child. _That _caused it."

"I'm gonna be a father?"

"Well, yes. Assuming I haven't altered the past... well I must alter it... hopefully not too much... regardless. You spoke of blame. If one were to assign the blame for everything that is happening, everything I have to fix, there are one of four people to whom that blame could be assigned."

"Who?" asked Emma, wondering why she had not been told anything.

"One family, Mom. Ours. You, Dad, Henry, or me. That's basically who it comes down to. Unless you want to blame a 7-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy."

"But what _is _happening?" Emma asked. "What were you sent back to fix?"

"I can't tell you," said Lily. "Not until Part 1 is underway."

"Part 1?"

"Of Operation Bunny Rabbit."

Emma chuckled, but Henry grimaced. "Operation Bunny Rabbit?"

"Hey, don't look at me, your daughter picked it."

Henry smiled. "I'm gonna be a dad."

"Yeah, someday."

"Well, obviously not now..."

"Moving on," said Emma, "Future Lily, we have to go, Present Lily has an appointment with the doctor. And Henry, you're meeting your friends for pizza."

"Oh. Right."

* * *

**Future Day**

"Why in the name of hell should I ever help you?"

"Regina, please!"

"Ugh, Snow, you are the most insufferable -"

"I'm here too!" said Emma.

"Annoying child."

"And me," said Henry.

"Well, I did like you best."

"And me!" said Arydia, joining without really understanding. Regina was taken aback. "Who is this?"

"This is Arydia," said Henry. "She's my daughter."

Regina considered for a moment. "Let her make the request."

With worried glances, they stepped back. "Mommy? Daddy?"

"What do you all want from me, Arydia?"

"Time travel!" The breathed sighs of relief.

Regina scoffed. "Can't be done."

"Anything is possible," said Nadia, who had insisted on coming, along with Lily.

Regina looked her over. "Belle's daughter?"

"And Rumpelstiltskin's."

"Right. Well, you find a suitable spell in all your mother's million books, and I will cast it. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes. We have a deal."

**A/N: I AM SORRY I DID NOT UPDATE FOR LONG TIME! PLEASE DO NOT SLOWLY MURDER ME VIA TORTUROUS BURNING OR OTHER MEANS OF SLOW PAINFUL ANNIHILATION! NEXT ONE WILL NOT TAKE AS LONG! PLEASE REVIEW! WHY AM I USING ALL CAPS LOCK? I DO NOT KNOW. SEE YOU NEXT CHAPTER :) :) :)**


	8. Mary-Lynn

**A/N: I DEEPLY SINCERELY APOLOGIZE. PLEASE DO NOT HATE ME. I had so much stuff happening that I 100% forgot about fanfiction... but I am back! Hopefully for longer this time! And you finally get to find out (part of) what happened, so... forgive? **

**Approx. 5 years in future**

Emma pulled her hair back into a ponytail and made sure both her gun and her magic were at the ready. Walking down into the tunnels, she really wasn't sure what she might find; she definitely wasn't expecting what she found, though.

A girl was staring at her, gray eyes open wide as saucers. She had long, straight white-blonde hair, and skin that was mildly tan.

"Hi," Emma said with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Mary-Lynn," the girl answered, voice soft.

"And how old are you?" Emma asked.

"Thirteen, I think," Mary-Lynn replied with a frown.

"You think?"

"I... my mind feels weird," Mary-Lynn explained. "I kinda don't remember much."

"Oh," said Emma. "Well, come with me, I might be able to help."

* * *

**Present Day**

"Alright," said Lily. "I believe that Phase 1 is complete."

"You just spent ten minutes on a computer," Emma said.

"Yes," Lily replied, "And I think I found her."

"Found who?" asked Bae.

"Mary-Lynn," Lily replied, hardly looking back as she opened a document on her computer.

"Who's Mary-Lynn?" Henry asked, confused.

"Mary-Lynn Isabel Moore," Lily clarified, turning to look at her brother. "Your future wife."

Henry's eyes widened. "My future wife? Really?"

"Uh-huh." Lilly showed him what she had found: Mary-Lynn Moore, age 8, Franklin, Connecticut."

"Wow," said Henry.

"Why did you have to find Henry's future wife?" Emma asked. "What does she have to do with it."

"So, so much," Lily explained. "So very much."

"Alright, what happened?" Bae asked. "What is it that you came back here to fix?"

"Ok," said Lily. "But listen close."

* * *

**Approx. 5 years in future**

Emma walked into Granny's, Mary-Lynn walking slowly behind her. "It's okay," said Emma. "You're safe."

Mary-Lynn frowned. "I don't even know where I am."

"Storybrooke," Emma replied. "Maine."

"Maine..." she frowned. "I think I'm from Connecticut?"

"Okay," Emma said. "That's good to know."

Frowning, Emma called her boss.

"Yes?" Rumpelstiltskin asked.

"Do you know anything about memory restoration spells?"

"Memory - hold on. -Yes, Nadia, that's a kitty. No, you can't eat it. - Sorry. Why do you need one?"

"I found a very confused girl who doesn't remember much about her life," Emma explained. "Her name is Mary-Lynn, she's thirteen, she's from Connecticut, and that's all she's been able to tell me."

"Hmm. I'll be there soon."

* * *

"No," he said finally. "I can't figure out how to fix her memory."

"Really?" Emma asked. "Are you sure?"

"Fairly certain," he replied.

"I'll be like this forever?" Mary-Lynn asked.

"No," Emma replied. "Let me try something."

"Emma, you don't -"

"I can't let her stay like this!"

"Emma!"

Without listening, Emma lifted her hands and began to cast a spell.

* * *

**Present Day**

"And then what happened?" Bae asked.

"Are you sure you want to know?" asked Lily.

"Yes," Emma replied. "We want to know."

"Uh-huh," Henry agreed.

"Alright."

* * *

**Approx. 5 years in future**

"Where are we?" asked Belle, looking around her, holding Nadia by the hand.

"Mama?" Nadia asked.

"I don't know," Snow replied.

"I do," Emma replied, terrified.

"Where?" Henry asked.

"Where we mommy?" Lily asked, clinging to her father.

"We are..." Emma took a deep breath. "Michigan."

"Michigan?" Bae asked. "Why and how?"

"Don't know," Emma replied.

"How do you know it?" David asked.

"Used to have a foster home here," Emma replied.

"Emma, I warned you not to cast the spell," Rumpelstiltskin said.

"I know," said Emma. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever, no big deal, right?" Belle asked. "You can just poof us back."

"Yeah," said Emma, and tried, but nothing happened. "What?"

Rumpelstiltskin tried the same thing, again with no result. "Emma, you've stripped us of our magic!"

"I - But - I just wanted to help Mary-Lynn!"

"You did," Mary-Lynn said from behind them.

"I did?"

"I remember everything," Mary-Lynn replied. "I remember who I am. And... that I have nowhere to go. Emma, I stayed in a foster home here too. I ran away."

"Don't blame you," Emma replied. "You can come with us."

"Where are we going?" David asked.

"I - I don't know!"

* * *

**Present Day**

"I stuck us all without magic in the outside world?" Emma asked.

Lily nodded. "It was alright, though, I mean we lived in a cool apartment and Mary-Lynn married Henry."

"That's not so bad it was worth coming back to fix though," Henry said.

"No, no it's not," Lily replied. "And that... you get to find out after Phase 2."

"What's Phase 2?"

"We go and find Mary-Lynn."

"To do what? She's eight."

"Yes, and next year her mother is going to die and she's going to end up in the foster system. And then she's going to start losing her memory. We have to stop that from happening."

"Seems fairly simple..."

"That won't solve the whole problem," Lily said. "It'll just... well, you'll get it once I explain. Later."

"Ok," said Emma. "Let's go to Connecticut."


	9. The Reason I Traveled in Time

As Emma drove them to Connecticut, Lily talked. "Mary-Lynn didn't do well in the foster system."

"I get that," said Emma.

"She became lonely, looking for a friend... a sign. She found one. In Storybrooke. Me."

"You?"

"I was emitting this _weird _magical signal. Kind of a... beacon. Something related to being the product of true love-Henry had it too, but there wasn't magic when he was growing up, and it wears off with age. Mary-Lynn got attracted to it, and somehow it made her forget most of who she was and end up in Storybrooke. In the tunnels."

"That's really weird."

"Yeah, but it's the best we could figure out. It all started with me and the magic signal."

'"But what was _it? _Other than use being stranded in Michigan."

Lily took a deep breath. "Arydia was born. Super early. Mary-Lynn was six months pregnant, there was a huge occurrence in the hospital. Not really related, but it was a big deal that she was okay. Everyone was so concerned with that, they didn't notice that haywire things were happening. Magical things, even though there wasn't magic. We were used to magic and didn't notice. Mary-Lynn noticed. She started going super paranoid, especially when she was pregnant with Dustin. Then after he was born... Arydia and Nadia, the youngest, started going super crazy for times and then forgetting it. It spread to me next. It started spreading to the adults. Mary-Lynn said it was similar to what happened to her before she came to Storybrooke. Whatever weird mental disturbance I had caused in Mary-Lynn had returned, and was in everyone now."

"I'm kind of lost," said Bae.

"The only thing you really need to know is that we have to stop me from screwing up Mary-Lynn's mind. Which means she has to never find my beacon. Which means she has to not end up all lonely in the foster system."

"So we have to save her mother?"

"Yes, we should try to do that."

"And we're driving to Connecticut a year early because?"

"We also have to make sure her brain isn't susceptible. Because we have to make sure she meets Henry, which means she'll still meet me. That gives us some time to shut off my signal."

"How?"

"Calm down, Henry, that's like Phase 8."

"So many phases!"

"Well duh."

* * *

Emma pulled up to the address and sighed. "This is weird."

"But necessary."

"What do we do? Say that we need to talk to them even though we're total strangers? Her mom won't like that."

"Mom, she won't like dying either. Come on!"

"Lily, this is ridiculous! We can't stalk an eight-year-old!"

Lily frowned. "You're right. We need a better plan."


End file.
